With the end it sight, it is useful to reflect on areas of your teaching that we can address in class. Classroom management seems to be an issue that many of you are concerned about. Classroom management is also a big topic. List two to three management challenges you are are trying to improve at this time. Briefly describe some of the techniques that you have already tried. Describe what a class period will look like when these problems are "solved."
Classroom Management has not been a major issue for my classes. I can attribute this to teaching 3 Honors level classes and 1 College Prep class who are full of students that are ready and able to learn. I take partial responsibility for keeping the students engaged and active at all times through student-centered learning, project-based learning or inquiry activities.
The extent of the issues I have dealt with is excessive talking and one particular student addressing the class with "Why do we have to do this, this is not important, it is so stupid that I have to be here."
Situation 1: Excessive Talking.
During transitions from a discussion to an activity or on occasion (Particularly on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon), students will be animated and extra chatty. I typically use a variety of techniques to nip this in the bud if it becomes disruptive.
A. Stop what I am doing, stand in silence waiting for the student to finish their conversation. Typically, one student will speak up and tell them to "shhhhhh" without me having to do a single thing.
B. I will walk around the class room during discussion and give a quick tap on the desk or on the back to stop the situation without brining any attention to the students
C. If I am in the middle of speaking or facilitating a class discussion, I will stop the chatter by asking a question to the student who is chatterig
D. I will ignore the students, talk a little louder and this appears to alarm the students
E. I am constantly moving around the classroom so I am often stopping at the group stations and asking questions about their progress to get them on track
F. At times depending on the student, I will chime in on their conversation, tell them its facinating but I expect them to only speak about biology on my watch
G. If the talking is excessive, I simply ask the class, "What is my rule?" At the beginning of teaching, I went over the rules which my most important rule was "If someone is talking, we show them respect by listening and not talking over them" ---This appears to work very quickly.
Situation 2: The student who is known for being obnoxious to most teachers and disruptive in classes "Why do I have to be here, this is stupid, I would rather take notes then do projects"
1. I announced to the class "Why do I have to be here" and turned this into a discussion about why the topic of antibiotic resistance is relevant to our lifes...his comment was a great segway.
2. After I still saw him rolling his eyes......I decided to put a bonus question on the test 2 days later which asked a series of math calculations that described "how much money a student gets paid to attend and pass my biology class"
Classroom Management has not been a major issue for my classes. I can attribute this to teaching 3 Honors level classes and 1 College Prep class who are full of students that are ready and able to learn. I take partial responsibility for keeping the students engaged and active at all times through student-centered learning, project-based learning or inquiry activities.
The extent of the issues I have dealt with is excessive talking and one particular student addressing the class with "Why do we have to do this, this is not important, it is so stupid that I have to be here."
Situation 1: Excessive Talking.
During transitions from a discussion to an activity or on occasion (Particularly on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon), students will be animated and extra chatty. I typically use a variety of techniques to nip this in the bud if it becomes disruptive.
A. Stop what I am doing, stand in silence waiting for the student to finish their conversation. Typically, one student will speak up and tell them to "shhhhhh" without me having to do a single thing.
B. I will walk around the class room during discussion and give a quick tap on the desk or on the back to stop the situation without brining any attention to the students
C. If I am in the middle of speaking or facilitating a class discussion, I will stop the chatter by asking a question to the student who is chatterig
D. I will ignore the students, talk a little louder and this appears to alarm the students
E. I am constantly moving around the classroom so I am often stopping at the group stations and asking questions about their progress to get them on track
F. At times depending on the student, I will chime in on their conversation, tell them its facinating but I expect them to only speak about biology on my watch
G. If the talking is excessive, I simply ask the class, "What is my rule?" At the beginning of teaching, I went over the rules which my most important rule was "If someone is talking, we show them respect by listening and not talking over them" ---This appears to work very quickly.
Situation 2: The student who is known for being obnoxious to most teachers and disruptive in classes "Why do I have to be here, this is stupid, I would rather take notes then do projects"
1. I announced to the class "Why do I have to be here" and turned this into a discussion about why the topic of antibiotic resistance is relevant to our lifes...his comment was a great segway.
2. After I still saw him rolling his eyes......I decided to put a bonus question on the test 2 days later which asked a series of math calculations that described "how much money a student gets paid to attend and pass my biology class"
I have not had an issue since.